The widow of world champion boxer Johnny Tapia said she’s afraid for her life. Reporter Kirsten Swanson has the story.

The widow of world champion boxer Johnny Tapia said she’s afraid for her life. Reporter Kirsten Swanson has the story.

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Updated: 7:55 AM MDT May 22, 2015

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WEBVTT DOUG: TO HEAR MORE ON WHAT BRANDENBURG SAID, OPEN YOUR KOAT MOBILE APP, OR WATCH IT ON KOAT.COM. THE WIDOW OF WORLD CHAMPION BOXER JOHNNY TAPIA, SAYS SHE'S AFRAID FOR HER LIFE. SHE'S ADDRESSING PATERNITY RUMORS AND HER RELATIONSHIP WITH A FAMILY SHE MARRIED INTO, AFTER TAPIA DIED. KOAT ACTION 7 NEWS REPORTER KIRSTEN SWANSON EXPLAINS. KIRSTEN: AN EMOTIONAL TERESA TAPIA SAYS SHE'S LIVED AS A VICTIM FOR YEARS. I HAVE BEEN IN FEAR OF MY LIFE, FEAR OF THIS PERSON SINCE I GOT INVOLVED. KIRSTEN: SHE'S TALKING ABOUT HER EX-HUSBAND JEFFERY PADILLA. SAYING HE AND HIS FAMILY ARE SPREADING RUMORS THAT AREN'T TRUE. TERESA IS THE WIDOW OF THE LATE JOHNNY TAPIA, THE WORLD-CHAMPION BOXER FROM ALBUQUERQUE. IN THE PAST FEW MONTHS TERESA CLAIMS SHE HAS BEEN LOCKED IN A FAMILY FEUD WITH THE PADILLA'S. IN A LAWSUIT FILED LAST MONTH OVER TRADEMARK INFRINGEMENT, TAPIA ALLEGES JERRY PADILLA, SHOWN HERE, IS USING THE BOXER'S NAME AND IMAGE TO MAKE MONEY. JERRY CLAIMS THAT HE HIS JOHNNY TAPIA'S BIOLOGICAL FATHER. TERESA SAYS THAT'S NOT TRUE. HE'S NOT THE FATHER, EVERYBODY KNOWS THAT, HE KNOWS THAT. WE'VE HAD DISCUSSIONS . KIRSTEN: MATCHED UP IN THE FIGHT ARE TWO SEPARATE DNA TESTS. ONE SHOWS THAT JOHNNY IS RELATED TO THE PADILLA FAMILY, THE OTHER SHOWS HE IS NOT. BOTH TESTS ARE EXPECTED TO BE REVIEWED BY A JUDGE AS THE CASE UNFOLDS. BUT TERESA DIRECTED THE PATERNITY QUESTION BACK TO THE CLAIM THAT JERRY IS USING JOHNNY TAPIA'S NAME AND FACE WITHOUT PERMISSION. EVERYWHERE HE GOES, HE'S DOING IT TO MAKE MONEY OFF OF JOHNNY. KIRSTEN: TAPIA SAYS SHE HOPES EVIDENCE IN THE CASE PROVES THAT AND HELPS PRESERVE HER RIGHT TO JOHNNY'S NAME. IN ALBUQUERQUE KIRSTEN SWANSON

Tapia's widow 'afraid for her life'

The widow of world champion boxer Johnny Tapia said she’s afraid for her life. Reporter Kirsten Swanson has the story.